A 49-year-old man charged with being the notorious Yorkshire Ripper hoaxer known as ''Wearside Jack'' was today refused bail by a judge.

John Humble, of Flodden Road, Sunderland, made his first appearance before a judge today at Leeds Crown Court.

He is charged with perverting the course of justice in connection with a series of letters and an audio tape which was sent to West Yorkshire Police during the hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper in the late 1970s purporting to be from the murderer.

Humble was not in court for the 30-minute hearing but appeared via a video link from Leeds Prison. An application for bail on his behalf by David Taylor, defending, was refused by the judge, the Recorder of Leeds, Norman Jones.

He is due to appear again for a plea and directions hearing at Leeds Crown Court on January 9.

mfl Unemployed Humble was arrested a week ago by West Yorkshire Police officers who travelled to his home in Sunderland.

Today he spoke only twice, saying ''yes'' to confirm both his name and that he could hear the judge clearly.

Wearing a grey prison top, purple trousers and sporting grey hair and a bushy grey moustache, Humble listened intently throughout the proceedings.

He was watched by a packed courtroom on two large TV screens as he sat on a red chair in front of a plain blue wall at the prison.

No pleas were entered and reporting restrictions were not lifted.

The court heard a provisional trial date has been fixed for February 20 next year.

The former labourer was accused of writing two letters and recording an audio tape which was sent to detectives hunting the killer between 1978 and 1979 and a third letter to the Daily Mirror newspaper.

The letters taunted police for their lack of progress in catching the Ripper and the tape, which featured a man with a strong Sunderland accent, was played publicly on national TV.

After the police received the hoaxes Peter Sutcliffe, who was eventually convicted of the Ripper murders in 1981, murdered a further three women.